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Wednesday, September 14, 2005
After taking in the devastating effects of hurricane Katrina, people are now wondering why this calamity has assaulted our country and why so many innocent have suffered. I have heard many suggest that this historical disaster was caused by God. It is this very notion that I wish to discuss.
It seems to me, arrogant to attest that God’s hand produced this catastrophe. The only way to actually know whether or not this is the case—is to be in the mind of God. Basically, the only one who knows (in certainty) that God caused the disaster of hurricane Katrina—is God.
However, what we can do is postulate possible reasons why God would (if he did) or why God did not (if he did not). For example, taking a Judeo-Christian position, let’s first assume that Hurricane Katrina was orchestrated by God. Why? Looking at the Old Testament, we can see many calamities falling on both Jews and Gentiles. Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed by God. Israel was taken captivity several times by foreign nations. In each instance, this was done as punishment for rebellion against God. Therefore, if Katrina was from the hand of God, it is because of rebellion and sin against God. This is frightening considering the moral decay of the rest of the United States. Chuck Missler, a Christian Theologian says that if God does not punish the United States, he owes an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah.
Let’s now consider that God did not cause Hurricane Katrina. The first thought that comes to mind is, if there is an Almighty God, why did he let it happen? From a Christian perspective, during the “fall of Man”, the earth also fell. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8:22, “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now". Therefore, we live in an imperfect world. In this defective world, we cannot expect a utopia. In further stating why God would allow this calamity, is that he has the power to make good out of this disaster. Lives are gone, lives are destroyed, but lives are saved, heroes arise and people are accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior. This will not make sense if you’re not a Christian, but it means everything.
So, do I think that God is responsible for Katrina or not, I don’t know. I am not God. What I do know, however, is that God will make good out of it for his own Glory.
Labels: Apologetics, Christianity, Skepticism, Theology
5 Comments:
of course it wasn't caused by God as punishment or anything else. It's called nature that God created. Hurricanes happen. So does rain, sun, night, mosquito bites, and dirt
9/14/2005 5:29 PM
Don’t cry execution, I wouldn’t ignore your multifaceted comments and questions. What is Christianity? Excellent question; nobody has EVER asked me that question. I think it is profoundly important. Let me think about it for a little while. I wouldn’t want to rush you an answer on this one. I will probably post it on my main blog.
9/22/2005 7:24 PM
God apologize? Only if he has made a mistake, which God cannot do, at least not the God ofthe Bible.
9/22/2005 7:27 PM
I will try to answer in a nutshell; I hope I don’t confuse you with this short answer. Most people write books about this and barely scratch the surface.
God did create man in his own image, that’s what makes people intrinsically valuable regardless of your skin color or defects. However, God did not make man “mini gods.” God is superior to his creation.
The fall: Gods creation was originally perfect. Man (and Angel apparently) were created with free will. Adam and Even chose to sin against God, thus creating what is called the “fall.” In the fall, man and even creation, became corrupted with it. This corruption is passed down generation through generation, this it why we need a redeemer.
I feel as though I am robbing you of an adequate answer. Here is a link with more detail http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=64 , but you can study this subject for years due to its complexity.
I hope your test went well. After a while, test stress goes down (in most cases NOT ALL). After so many exams, it just becomes routine. Or, maybe I have just become complacent? Hmmm……..not good.
9/23/2005 9:28 AM
Temptation always finds me. I don’t even have to look for it.
9/23/2005 5:14 PM
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